Israel–Palestine–Lebanon

IDF says it achieved operational control of Ali al-Taher ridge after clearing Hezbollah tunnels

This version is a correction.

ATTACK
Location
Ali al-Taher ridge / Beaufort Castle area, southern Lebanon (ridge-level; exact tunnel portals unpublished)
Actors
Israel · Hezbollah
Importance
Major

On 3 September 2026 the Israeli military said forces from the 36th Division had achieved operational control of the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, above and below ground, after clearing two Hezbollah underground routes in the Security Zone. Israel National News and The Jerusalem Post, both citing the IDF, said some Hezbollah operatives were killed and others fled, that neutralization of the cleared infrastructure was still ongoing, and that the network included command centers, weapons storage, generators, living quarters, and a kitchen, built over about two decades with Iranian funding. Exact casualty counts and precise tunnel entrance coordinates were not published in these accounts.

Why it matters

IDF claims of operational control over the long-contested Ali al-Taher ridge and its Iran-funded underground complex mark a major ground milestone in southern Lebanon, even as neutralization work continues and Iran has warned against a full capture of the site.

  • Infrastructure: Best 2 · Confidence: Probable · Evidence: IDF finishes clearing Hezbollah out of Ali Taher Ridge, IDF clears Hezbollah tunnels under Beaufort Castle after lengthy operation · IDF said two underground routes on the ridge were cleared of operatives; neutralization of the infrastructure sites remained ongoing.

Verification: Probable

Evidence: IDF finishes clearing Hezbollah out of Ali Taher Ridge, IDF clears Hezbollah tunnels under Beaufort Castle after lengthy operation

Two outlets independently carried the IDF Spokesperson announcement of operational control and clearance of two underground routes on Ali al-Taher ridge on 3 September 2026. Hezbollah casualty numbers were not quantified beyond some eliminated, others fled. Neutralization of the infrastructure was described as still ongoing. Exact ridge coordinates and tunnel portals were not published in these two reports.